Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on August 2014

Statistics published by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in 2012 put Japan’s annual food loss at between 5 and 8 million tons—2 to 4 million of which came from individual households. Out of this total, it is estimated that 3 to 4 million tons could be redistributed by food banks.

The world’s first official food bank was founded in Arizona in 1967, and now over 25 countries boast food bank organizations worldwide. Second Harvest Japan, the country’s first nationwide food bank, was founded in 2000. Located near Akihabara station, it runs a number of programs to assist those in need, aiming to help the approximately 20 million people—or one in six individuals—who live below Japan’s poverty line.

Summer can be a particularly tough time for the food bank, as volunteers and donations both drop off with people going home for the holidays. What can individuals do to reduce food wastage while helping those in need?

DONATE TIME

Second Harvest Japan runs a number of programs from Monday to Saturday:

• On weekdays, volunteers pack boxes of groceries to be delivered to welfare agencies, orphanages and women’s shelters across Japan. Food packages are also delivered to the temporary housing communities for victims of the 3/11 earthquake and tsunami.
• On Thursday and Saturday afternoons, volunteers assist with the direct distribution of emergency groceries through the “Harvest Pantry” program. People in need can come directly to Second Harvest Japan and collect baskets of groceries, cooking supplies and bread.
• On Saturdays, an average of 400 hot meals are prepared and distributed to homeless people in Ueno Park. Two shifts of volunteers prepare the food on Friday, to be distributed by three shifts on Saturday.

You can make yourself available just once or on a regular basis. Japanese language skills are not required. First-time volunteers need to register through the Second Harvest Japan website or via email at volunteer@2hj.org.

DONATE MONEY

Donations of money go toward the cost of delivering food packages to those in need. In addition, welfare agencies sometimes require specific food items that cannot be sourced through food drives, which is where individual and corporate monetary donations are vital.

DONATE FOOD

Second Harvest Japan is regularly in need of the following items:

• Rice and pasta
• Freeze-dried foods
• Processed foods
• Instant foods/foods in ready-made packs
• Gift sets
• Cooking supplies (e.g. miso, soy sauce, dashi)
• Drinks (e.g. coffee, tea, juice)

Please check that all expiration dates are at least one month away before sending donations. Packages must be unopened and in good condition.

Helping with food distribution means seeing the look of relief on a mother’s face as she collects ingredients for a family meal, the joy of children who see their favorite treat in the basket and the shy smiles from older people who are so grateful for any fresh fruit or vegetables. Many of the visitors are families. Quite often, people who receive short-term assistance come back to become volunteers themselves.

Second Harvest Japan frequently runs food drives at different collection points around Tokyo.

Second Harvest Japan. 1F Mizuta Bldg, 4-5-1 Asakusabashi, Taito-ku.Tel: 03-5822-5371.